Confessions of a Local Realtor: The King Soopers Survival Guide

The Quick Grocery Run That Wasn’t

It’s late afternoon. Yoga is done. The day has already included showings, calls, texts, emails, and about 47 micro-decisions that all somehow feel urgent. All I need to do is stop by King Soopers.

A Simple mission:

• Milk
• Chicken for dinner
• And let’s just be honest… wine

I’m in full “don’t make eye contact” mode:

• Sweaty leggings ✔️
• Oversized top ✔️
• Hair in the classic “Tara bun” ✔️

This is not a “let’s catch up in the produce aisle” look. This is a “grab and go like your life depends on it” situation

And yet…

The First Sighting

I walk in. Immediately, I feel it. You know that feeling? The one where your brain goes:

“Why does this place suddenly feel… socially risky?”

I spot someone across the store.

Eye contact? Not yet.
Recognition? Maybe.
Panic? Slightly.

And then the internal monologue begins:

• Do I know him?
• Did we sell him a house?
• Did we show him homes and he used someone else?
• Is he someone’s dad?
• Is he about to wave?

Abort mission. Turn left. Head to produce.

The Talker (We Love Him… But Still)

Next aisle. There he is. A genuinely kind, wonderful, longtime client. We’ve worked with him not once, not twice… but three times over the last 15 years.He is the definition of loyal. He is also… the definition of a conversationalist. If you’ve ever met someone who can turn a “Hey, how are you?” into a 25-minute life update… you know exactly what I mean.

And listen—we love him. We really do. But in that moment? I just didn’t have it in me.So what do I do?

The classic move:

• Slight head tilt downward
• Quick pivot
• Sudden intense interest in avocados

Did it work? Debatable

The “I Know You But I Don’t Know Your Name” Situation

Next encounter. This one is worse. Because I definitely know her. We helped her buy or sell a home years ago.She’s smiling. She’s walking toward me. And my brain? Completely blank. Nothing. Gone.

Cue the mental scramble:

• Okay okay… where do I know her from?
• Definitely Highlands Ranch right?
• Was it a listing? A buyer? Both?
• Why can I see her house in my head (it’s the one on the corner by Redstone Park with the blue door) but not her name?!

This is the Realtor version of a pop quiz you didn’t study for.

Do I engage and risk the awkward moment where I clearly don’t know her name?

Or…

Do I suddenly become VERY interested in reading the back of a cereal box?

You already know what I chose.

The Kids (Sweet… But Also… Germy) 😷🦠

Then comes the next encounter. A young mom we’ve worked with. She’s great. Her family is great. Her kids? Very enthusiastic.

The kind of kids who:

• Run at you full speed
• Hug you like they haven’t seen you in years
• Treat you like a human jungle gym

This is the Realtor version of a pop quiz you didn’t study for.

Do I engage and risk the awkward moment where I clearly don’t know her name?

Or…

Do I suddenly become VERY interested in reading the back of a cereal box?

You already know what I chose.

The One You Actually Want to Talk To (Of Course)

And then… of course… the universe delivers the twist. I run into someone we absolutely love catching up with. Amazing clients. Beautiful home in Backcountry. Great experience all around. And this conversation?
Genuinely enjoyable.

We talk about:

• The house
• How everything is going
• The kids
• Life updates

It’s the kind of interaction that reminds you why you love what you do.

And yet…

Time check:

• 5 minutes turns into 10
• 10 turns into 15

Suddenly, my “quick grocery run” is no longer quick.

The Realtor Rolodex Brain

Here’s something every high-producing, local Realtor understands: You don’t just see people. You process them. Instantly.

Your brain becomes this spinning Rolodex of:

• Names
• Addresses
• Transactions
• Conversations
• Timelines

All happening in real time.

You see someone walking toward you and your brain goes:

“Okay—who is this? Think. Think faster. Don’t be weird.”

And then:

• Did they buy in Westridge?
• Or were they the Castle Rock clients?
• Wait—did I meet them at an open house?
• Or is this from one that volunteer event we did at ThunderRidge High School a few years ago?
• Oh no… what if they know me and I don’t know them…

It’s like mental gymnastics… in the frozen foods aisle.

Why This Happens (And Why We Actually Love It)

Here’s the truth behind all of this… We work helping people to buy and sell homes almost entirely in our community.

Highlands Ranch.
Parker.
Castle Rock.
Littleton.

We don’t just sell homes here. We live here.

Our kids go to school here. We go to yoga here.

We play tennis & pickleball here

We hit up all of the local restaurants here We grocery shop here (clearly).

So when we help someone buy or sell a home, it doesn’t end at closing. We see you again. And again. And again.

At:

• The grocery store
• Restaurants
• School events
• Sports games
• Coffee shops
• The Rec Centers
• On the trails

And that’s actually one of the best parts of what we do.

The Part No One Talks About

But here’s the part people don’t always think about: There is no “off” switch.

No anonymous errand.
No “just running in real quick.”

Because at any moment, you might run into:

• A past client
• A current client
• A potential client
• Someone who recognizes you but you’re still figuring it out

And every interaction matters. Because relationships matter. We’re PEOPLE PEOPLE!

The Balancing Act

So there’s always this balance happening in our world:

On one hand:
We genuinely care.
We love catching up.
We value relationships over transactions—always.

On the other hand:
Sometimes… we just need milk. 🥛

And maybe a quiet 12-minute grocery run where no one asks us about:

• The market
• Their neighbor’s home value
• Whether it’s a good time to sell
• Or if we know a good contractor

Why We Do Pickup Orders (Let’s Be Honest)

And this… right here… Is why grocery pickup exists (Thank you #kingsoopers)

Not because we don’t love people.

But because sometimes we need to:

• Avoid the Rolodex brain
• Avoid the name recall panic
• Avoid the unexpected 20-minute conversations

And just… exist… as normal humans buying chicken (and wine 🍷).

The Reality of Being “Local”

Every Realtor who does a lot of business in their own community knows this feeling.

You become:

• Recognized
• Approachable
• Connected

And that’s a good thing.

It means you’ve built trust.
It means people remember you.
It means you’ve made an impact.

But it also means… You better be ready to be “on” at any given moment. Even in a messy bun.

The Funny Part (Because It Really Is Funny)

At the end of the day, this is one of those things we laugh about constantly. Because the internal dialogue is so real:

“Do I know them?”
“Do they know me?”
“What if I say hi and I’m wrong?”
“What if I don’t say hi and I’m wrong?”

There is no winning. Only navigating.

The Honest Truth

We wouldn’t trade it. Not for a second.

Because every one of those interactions represents:

• A relationship
• A memory
• A family we’ve helped
• A story we’ve been part of

And that’s what makes this career so different. It’s not just about houses. It’s about people.

But Also…

If you see us in the grocery store…

And we’re:

• In workout clothes
• Moving quickly
• Pretending to deeply analyze yogurt options

Just know…

We still love you.

We’re just on a very important mission involving dinner and possibly a glass of wine.

Final Thought

Being a local Realtor means your world and your work are constantly overlapping.

It’s busy.
It’s unpredictable.
It’s sometimes a little chaotic.

But it’s also:

• Meaningful
• Connected
• And honestly… pretty special

Even if it occasionally turns a 10-minute grocery run into a full social event.

And if you’ve ever wondered whether your Realtor remembers you when they see you out in the wild…

The answer is:

Yes.

We just might need a second to sort through the mental Rolodex first. 😉